Bluegate Fields (CD packaging) - Marc Almond

Also Featuring Baby Dee, Little Annie, Neal X, Martin Watkins, John Contreras, Carl Holt and Celine Marc Almond returns to the live stage performing an all-new 'Sin Songs, Torch and Romance' set list in the most atmospheric venue of his career, "Wilton's" - a genuine Victorian-era music hall in London's East End. Within a selection of story telling songs that reflect the dramatic tradition of the venue, Marc presents several new numbers exclusive to this release as well as a number of back catalogue fan favourites.

Marc Almond - a creator and curator of song: in his hands the spirit of music hall lives on!

• New release ‘Dancing Marquis’ compiles together the 6 tracks released previously on two strictly limited edition vinyl EPs and adds another two brand new tracks and two exclusive and stunning remixes.

• In 2013, Marc Almond realised the ambition of a lifetime when he attended a few recording sessions with the legendary record producer Tony Visconti, famous for his work with David Bowie, Hazel O'Connor, T-Rex, The Moody Blues and Morrissey. The stunning results of their unique collaboration are the two tracks 'Burn Bright' / 'The Dancing Marquis' that kick-off this CD.

• Next to producer Tris Penna, Tony Visconti also lends a helping hand on string arrangements and mixing duties on two further tracks, ‘Tasmanian Tiger’, and ‘Death of a Dandy’, the latter inspired by the recent death of Soho’s tragic artist Sebastian Horsley and which also features special guest Danielz from T-Rex tribute ‘T.Rextasy’.

• Carrying on in this collaborative vein, the CD also includes the talents of Martin McCarrick (Siouxsie And The Banshees, Therapy?) contributing cello on the hearteningly buoyant 'Burn Bright' and strings on the title-track 'The Dancing Marquis', a song that Marc Almond wrote 'with Henry Paget 5th Marquess of Anglesey in mind'.

• Jarvis Cocker brings to the mix an infectious electro-pop number he wrote especially for Marc, ‘Worship Me Now’, where he also features as a special guest on backing vocals and on the production duties with Jason Buckle (All Seeing I). Two additional dance remixes of ‘Worship Me Now’ are also included exclusively on this release. ‘Love Is Not On Trial’ sees Marc Almond continuing his collaboration with Carl Barat (Libertines), his co-star in the 2012 opera ‘Poppea’ at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.

• Produced again by Tris Penna, the song was written especially for Marc by Carl, who also features on guitar and vocals.

• Completing this release are two further all new tracks, So What’s Tonight? and Idiot Dancing.

This product is released June 16 2014 and will not be dispatched before this date.
Track Listing:

• ‘Ten Plagues’ is presented here in a special 2-disc package including an all new studio recording of the complete work as well as a DVD of the live stage show filmed at the historic Wilton’s Music Hall in East London.

• ‘Ten Plagues’ tells the intense story of one man’s survival through the great plague of London in 1665 whilst drawing poetic parallels to more modern epidemics.

• Marc Almond plays a character wracked by the loss of friends, lovers, family and sanity in a city in the midst of crisis and disease. He tries to hold on to his humanity despite mourning, grief, despair and the physical isolation that the plague necessitates.

• ‘Ten Plagues’ in turn conjures up our reactions to more contemporary pandemics: for example, the fear, hysteria and prejudice about the first victims of AIDS, at the outset referred to as a ‘gay plague’; those who suffered were afraid, isolated and made to feel outcasts of society.

• The piece was performed at the Traverse Theatre at The Edinburgh International Fringe Festival in 2011 and received the prestigious ‘Fringe First Award’.

• Marc Almond stated in 2014; "if I could perform a piece such as Ten Plagues, I could do anything. Nothing would daunt me again." And so it proved, for ‘Ten Plagues’ was indeed another important turning point in Marc Almond’s diverse and acclaimed career. It gave him the confidence and credibility to tackle all new dramatic stage roles such as the part of Seneca in ‘Poppea’ (a reworking of the Coronation of Poppea by Monteverdi) performed in 2012 at Le Châtelet Opera House in Paris and, in 2014, to act in a collaboration with the award winning composer John Harle called ‘The Tyburn Tree’.

NB: This title is released July 7 and will not be dispatched before this date.

Marc had previously hinted that his 2010 album Varieté would be his last recording to feature his own new material. Famed English producer and songwriter Chris Braide (Lana Del Ray, David Guetta, Beyoncé, Britney Spears), is a huge fan of Marc’s work and succeeded in making Marc change his mind.

Marc says of ‘The Velvet Trail’: "Some of the songs have a more personal melancholy, reflective and evocative, like the title track ‘The Velvet Trail’, a song about memories, nostalgia, childhood and death. So it is too with the song ‘The Pain of Never’ (Chris Braide’s personal favourite). Chris wanted to create his ultimate Marc Almond record, electric, lush, emotional, dark and sexy and I felt inspired by his tunes and production to deliver just that”. He then explains the seamless format of the album: "Chris saw the record as one journey, one record you put on from beginning to end, linking tracks with musical interludes. This a reaction against the downloaded digital age, where individual tracks are taken or albums re-arranged in different orders. I always see my records as a show running from beginning to end that takes you on a ride”.

The Velvet Trail is an album that wasn’t supposed to exist - born from a spontaneous, organic inspirational process. It wasn’t just written and recorded, but felt and created. For all those who love Marc Almond’s work and those who just love true music and the emotions it generates, this is one not to be missed.

The CD Edition comes in a full colour digi-pack with 16 page booklet.

NB: This title is released March 9 and will not be dispatched before this date.

Marc had previously hinted that his 2010 album Varieté would be his last recording to feature his own new material. Famed English producer and songwriter Chris Braide (Lana Del Ray, David Guetta, Beyoncé, Britney Spears), is a huge fan of Marc’s work and succeeded in making Marc change his mind.

Marc says of ‘The Velvet Trail’: "Some of the songs have a more personal melancholy, reflective and evocative, like the title track ‘The Velvet Trail’, a song about memories, nostalgia, childhood and death. So it is too with the song ‘The Pain of Never’ (Chris Braide’s personal favourite). Chris wanted to create his ultimate Marc Almond record, electric, lush, emotional, dark and sexy and I felt inspired by his tunes and production to deliver just that”. He then explains the seamless format of the album: "Chris saw the record as one journey, one record you put on from beginning to end, linking tracks with musical interludes. This a reaction against the downloaded digital age, where individual tracks are taken or albums re-arranged in different orders. I always see my records as a show running from beginning to end that takes you on a ride”.

The Velvet Trail is an album that wasn’t supposed to exist - born from a spontaneous, organic inspirational process. It wasn’t just written and recorded, but felt and created. For all those who love Marc Almond’s work and those who just love true music and the emotions it generates, this is one not to be missed.

This strictly limited UK edition contains a bonus DVD with all 4 of the specially commissioned ‘Velvet Trail’ promotional films included in especially expanded artwork.

NB: This title is released March 9 and will not be dispatched before this date.

Marc had previously hinted that his 2010 album Varieté would be his last recording to feature his own new material. Famed English producer and songwriter Chris Braide (Lana Del Ray, David Guetta, Beyoncé, Britney Spears), is a huge fan of Marc’s work and succeeded in making Marc change his mind.

Marc says of ‘The Velvet Trail’: "Some of the songs have a more personal melancholy, reflective and evocative, like the title track ‘The Velvet Trail’, a song about memories, nostalgia, childhood and death. So it is too with the song ‘The Pain of Never’ (Chris Braide’s personal favourite). Chris wanted to create his ultimate Marc Almond record, electric, lush, emotional, dark and sexy and I felt inspired by his tunes and production to deliver just that”. He then explains the seamless format of the album: "Chris saw the record as one journey, one record you put on from beginning to end, linking tracks with musical interludes. This a reaction against the downloaded digital age, where individual tracks are taken or albums re-arranged in different orders. I always see my records as a show running from beginning to end that takes you on a ride”.

The Velvet Trail is an album that wasn’t supposed to exist - born from a spontaneous, organic inspirational process. It wasn’t just written and recorded, but felt and created. For all those who love Marc Almond’s work and those who just love true music and the emotions it generates, this is one not to be missed.

This specially designed limited edition double vinyl comes in a gatefold sleeve with an exclusive fold out poster and two bonus tracks - the full length solo version of ‘When The Comet Comes’ and the radio-friendly 7” Edit of title track, ‘The Velvet Trail’.

NB: This title is released March 9 and will not be dispatched before this date.